Changeable color structural element



P 1959 w. P. BERRE'SKI 2,902,726

CHANGEABLE COLOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENT Filed March 29, 1956 INVENTOR. 14 4475? I? BZ/P/PESK/ United States Patent CHANGEABLE COLOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENT Walter P. Berreski, Camden, NJ. Application March 29, 1956, Serial No. 574,868 I 3 Claims. 01. -4

are being oifered tothe public in difierent and varied colera, and the owner of such an article is often desirous of changing the color thereof. As above pointed out, this can'be done only by a painting operation.

The present invention is founded on the belief that if certain structural elements are provided which are sus- :ceptible of having their color changed by a simple mechanical operation, the public will have been provided 'with something that fills a long-felt need.

' With the foregoing conditions in mind, the present invention has'in view as its foremost objective the provision 5 of a structural element which consists essentially of two face plates, one of which is transparent or translucent, "and between which is rotatably positioned a plurality of roller elements'in close juxtaposition, with the roller elef'ment's presenting cylindrical surfaces each of which is divided "into arcuate sectors of different colors. ';the face plates is formed with an access slot whereby a One of finger may be run along the roller elements in engagement therewith to cause a rotation thereof and bring different'angular sectors of their cylindrical surface into effective position.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that such a structural element is adapted for use in a permanent building installation to provide one or more sections of a wall sujch as a bathroom or kitchen wall. When so employed,

@theparts are so arranged that the roller elements preferably are vertically disposed, and the access slot is provided along, either a top or bottom edge, such as the edge adjacent to 'a floorboard. Thus, another important object of, the inventionpis to provide a structural element .ofthe-character indicated in which the access slot is Eform cdjontheexposed face plate, and preferably along -lone edge thereof.

The invention also contemplates the use of the structural element hereof in certain articles of furniture, such as a iofiee table, in which -oneface plate is ordinarily exposed, while the other face plate will be concealed, yet accessible. Thus, another highly important object of the invention is to provide a structural element of the character aforesaid which includes two face plates, one of which is intended to be exposed and the other concealed, with the access slot being formed at an appropriate location in the concealed face plate.

The whole idea back of the present invention is to provide for the easy changing of the color appearance which 2,902,726 Patented Sept. 8, 1959 See 2 1 Y is offered by the structural element. While it is possible, and entirely practical under certain conditions, to employ an exposed face plate that is substantially fully transparent, such as glass, the invention has in mind as a fur ther object the provision of a structural element of the type aforesaid in which the exposed face plate is transluscent rather than transparent, and has light-diffusing properties. When this type of exposed face plate is used, the individual outline of each roller member is obscured, and the entire element simply gives the effect of the particular color desired. 7

Still another object is to provide, in a structural element of the type noted, spaced face plates having inner surfaces that are corrugated or grooved to provide for accurate positioning of the roller elements. This feature is of importance, because it not only insures of the proper positioning of the roller elements, but also of their effective rotation, as the case demands.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention, such as arise in connection with carrying out the above-noted ideas ina practical embodiment, will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises a changeable color structural element which consists essentially of a pair of spaced face plates having inner corrugated surfaces, and one of which is transparent or translucent. 'Operatively received in the corrugations between the plates is a plurality of roller elements presenting cylindrical surfaces, arcuate sectors of. which are of different colors. One of the face plates is formed with an access slot at a convenient location.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wall section that comprises the changeable color structural element of this invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed vertical section taken about on the plane represented by the line 22 of Figure l, with parts broken away to permit illustration on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the plane represented by the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detailed perspective of one of the roller elements, per se. 7

Figure 5 is a view in end elevation of one of the roller elements.

Figure 6 is an end elevation similar to Figure 5 of a modification in which three arcuate sectors are provided of the table shown in Figure 7, and is taken about on the plane represented by the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, and first more particularly to Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, there is illustrated in Figure 1 a wall W that is intended to be .a part of a permanent building installation such as a bathroom or kitchen wallfi In accordance with the modern practice of pro viding two-tone effects, this wall W is shown as including an upper section A and a lower section B. The bottom of the wall is determined by a conventional floor-board 10. To illustrate the application of the present invention, the bottom section B of the wall W takes the. form of the structural building element provided by this invention. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the wall section B comprises an outer exposed face plate 11 and an inner face plate 12 that ordinarily would be concealed or hidden. It is evident that only the exposed face plate 3 11 need have the transparent or translucent properties. In accordance with the present invention, these face plates 11 and 12 may be made from an appropriate glass, many of the. well-known plastic compositions which are now/available to the; public. Many ofthe cellulose acetates and vinyl chlorides will be found to be suitable. 'llheimportant thing is-that thea exposed, face plate 11 .be either transparent or translucent.

The face plate 11 has an inner surface 13 that is spaced from a corresponding inner surface .14 on the plate 12. These surfaces 13 .and 14- are-formed with grooves 15 which provide, in effect, corrugated surfaces. grooves 15 on one-plate confront .thegrooves 15in the The other; and received in each pair of: these .cornplemental grooves is a roller element 16.

' While it would be possible, and perhaps even practical, to form the roller element 16 of a shape other:thana true cylinder, the invention has particularly in mind the use of a cylindrical roller element such as. is shown in Figure 4. This roller element 16 has a cylindrical surface that is divided oif into.two sectors 17 and 18, each .of substantiallyl80 extent, and which sectors are differently colored. Thus, the sector 17 of eachroller .16 is of one color, while the sector 18 is .ofa diiferent .color. In any one structuralelement, all of the sectors from any appropriate material such.as wood or metal,

but the invention has particularly in.mind the use of an appropriate plastic.

.It is also notable that the rollerelement 16 may be either solid or tubular, and made from any material desired. If solid, they might be wood; if tubular, they would probably be of sheet metal or. plastic.

Referring now more particularly to Figuresl and 2, it will be noted that the exposed face plate 11 is formed with a slot 21, which, as shown in Figure 1, is. located just above the fioorboard 10. This slot affords access to the rollers 16 so that they may be engaged .by the finger of an operator, as illustrated, androtated to the angular extent required to bring the desired arcuate sectors of the rollers into effective visible position.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 7 and 8, the structural element of this invention is therein illustrated as being used as the top C of a table T. .The latter includes four legs 22 which support the top C. As shown in Figure 8, the top C extends outwardly beyond the leg 22 at each corner.

The top C comprises an exposed face plate 23 and a hidden or concealed face plate '24. Between the plates 23 and 24 there are the usual rollers 16. The plates 23 and 24, together with the roller 16, are maintained inassembled relation by the usual end pieces 19 in' the manner above described in connectionwith the form of invention illustrated in Figure 1. The important difference between the table top C and the wall section .Bis that in the table top C the hidden orconcealed plate 24 is formed with a slot 25 which affords access to the roller 16. Thus, a person may place his fingers underneath the table where the.slot 25 is located, and run them along the rollers and rotate them to the extent required to bring the desired arcuate sectors into effective position.

A slightly modified formof. roller is depicted in Figure 6. This roller, which is identified as 26, has a cy liudrical surface that is dividedainto threesectors 27,.28, and 29, each of which has an angular extent of The sector 27 isof one color; the'sector 28 of another color; and the sector-'29 is of still another color. JI'hus, with either of the structural elements B or C including rollers 26, three color effects are provided.

While preferred specific embodiments of the invention are hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly under stood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions, materials, and designs-illustrated and described, because various modificationsof-these details may be provided in puttingthe. invention-intopractice within the purview of the appended. claims.

What is claimed-is: V

.1. In a changeable color structura l.e1ement,.:a pairof .face plates oneof which is translucenti-andhavi-ng inner surfaces in spaced relationformed *with .confronting parallel grooves, a plurality of .cylindricalroller elements rotatably received insaid, grooves,- each of-said roller elements having a cylindricalsurface-including. two sectors of different colors, end pieces maintaining .said plates .and rollers in assembled relation, and a slotformed in 'one of said plates aifordingaccessto the rollersuto provide for the rotation thereof.

2. In a permanent building installation,.a wall section comprising a hidden plate, a translucentexposedface plate spaced frornsaid hidden plate, said plateshaving inner surfaces formed with confrontingparallel grooves, :a plurality of roller elements rotatably'receivedintsaid grooves, each of said roller elements. having .acylindrical surface including two difierently colored angular sectors, end piecesmaintaining said plates and. roller.:elem ents in assembledrelation, andv a:.slot.in said -exposedface plate providing access to the rollers.

3. In a table, a top comprisinga hiddenplate, aitranslucent exposedface plate spaced from saidhiddemplate, said plates having. inner surfaces formedwith..coufronting parallel grooves, cylindrical rollcrelements. rotatably received insaid grooves, each ofsaid rollerelements. having a cylindrical surface divided. into .difierentlycOlored angular sectors,.end pieces maintaining said .plates,.an d roller elements in :assembled relation,..and.,an..access.slot formed along one edge of said hidden plate.

References Cited in the file of. this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS 

